Cavaliers forward Kevin Love couldn’t look more unenthusiastic right now. His frustration cost Cleveland on an embarrassing throw-in.
Kevin Love doesn’t look like he loves playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers right now.
In case you needed video proof, Love provided it on Monday as the Cavaliers fell to the Toronto Raptors, 112-96.
Late in the third quarter, with Cleveland trailing by six, Love listlessly tapped the ball back into play after it was tossed to him by an official. Stanley Johnson made the heads-up play to go grab it before dishing to Malachi Flynn for a 3-pointer.
Maybe Love was frustrated with the ref, not with his team. Either way, it’s a lowlight.
Love didn’t just swat the ball away like a toddler throwing a tantrum. He didn’t even engage when the Raptors got the ball, and he walked down the court like he didn’t care what came next.
Kevin Love can’t be a good leader with body language like that
As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com pointed out, Love is supposed to be the veteran head, yet his frustration cost his team in a game still very much in the balance.
Love committed a shooting foul on the next possession and came out of the game at the quarter break with the Raptors leading by 11.
The fact that J.B. Bickerstaff didn’t play Love in the fourth quarter says something about where the player’s head was at.
The Cavs have previously balked at dumping Love, but it’s clear something needs to change in Cleveland for this marriage to work going forward.
Leave it to Twitter to have some fun with it.
This hasn’t been a banner season for Love in any capacity. A calf injury kept him out of the lineup for most of the season. His full return only just came at the start of April.
He’s played 14 games, but his output hasn’t been great. Cleveland has lost nine of 13 since he came back, with Love averaging 13.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.